Thunderbolts #60
Thunderbolts #60
Title: "Brave New World?”
Writer: Fabian Nicieza
Penciller: Patrick Zircher
Inker: Al Vey
Colors: I don’t actually know because there is no credit box given
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Baron Heinrich Zemo holds a gun on Fixer and asks him if he is there to interfere with his mission. Fixer says that of course he is not. Fixer says that he took quite a knock to the head and asks where he is. Heinrich says that he doesn’t ask questions of the Thunderbolts. He says that if they seek to undermine the Deutschland that he should try and give him one reason why he shouldn’t kill him right now. Fixer says that Heinrich doesn’t strike him as the suicidal type. Weapons springing from Fixers tech pack spring out from the ground trained on all the “Thunderbolts”. Fixer’s Thunderbolts wake up from the movement. Heinrich says that he would not dare because he would be killed in return. Fixer says that he has been dead, and that he is not afraid. Moonstone asks Fixer what he is doing. Fixer tells “Karla” that he is giving her a chance to wake up. He mentions that he “can’t use your other name ‘cause check out the guy behind the walking tank”. Moonstone sees the other Moonstone looking man with the other “Thunderbolts”. Heinrich asks if they are seeking to claim the abandoned Soviet refineries in the name of America. He asks them if they don’t realizes that only Germany can help the world’s ills. Jolt starts to ask “Zemo” what is going on, but Fixer cuts her off as well and says, “Jolt… I was just going to tell Baron HEINRICH Zemo that the reason we’re here IN THE U.S.S.R. fighting the THUNDERBOLTS is…” Zemo finishes the sentence by asking, “…to acquire the prototype fuel injector assembly, nein?” Heinrich asks who dares to cross the World Party. Karla says that “no one would cross the party Baron, but perhaps there was doubt within the party…” Iron Cross starts fuming and says that they have served the expansion with honor. Heinrich tells Helmut to be quiet. Moonstone says that she isn’t saying yes or no, but that perhaps his position is tenuous. Iron Cross keeps mumbling how dare the Party question their ability and loyalty. Heinrich smacks Iron Cross and says that he told him to be silent. He says that she only seeks to foment discontent. Heinrich says that Americans talk much, say little, and do less. A woman who might be Valerie Barnhardt says “hey”, but Heinrich tells her “no offense intended”. Heinrich says that the “World Party prides itself on its desire to forge an… international coalition. To save our world, we will need no less.” Karla asks, “Save…?”
Heinrich says that they are the International Heroes of Germany. The Moonstone looking guy is Phantom Eagle, who is powered by a mysterious alien gem. There is Solaar, Iron Cross, Chain Lightning (who is the heroine of France), and Makeshift (an American engineering wizard). Moonstone says, “uhm… your exploits… are…” Zemo continues, “Understandably nebulous outside of the Duetschland” since worldwide communications are so hindered. Moonstone says that they have no need to fight then. She says that they were supposed to make sure that they were doing their job, and that clearly they are. She says that their fee is not worth making an enemy of him. Heinrich says that she honors him, and that he will allow them to live. Fixer starts withdrawing his weapons and starts to suggest that they work together, but MACH-3 cuts him off and says that Zemo does not need their help. The Bolts fly off.
Moonstone remarks that miraculously that they are still alive. She asks if anyone knows why. Jolt suggests that maybe they were sent to an alternate timeline. MACH-3 says that Jolt might be right. He says that this is worse than being on the run back home because now they are a completely alien world. Josten says that they just have to fall back into their old habits and try to blend in to pick up what is happening. Fixer asks how they are going to blend-in in Russia. Fixer says that Josten is an idiot, but then asks if he is talking to Josten or Riordan. Atlas says that he is speaking to both of them. He says that they seem to do everything, including thinking, together, but that in this form Josten is the one doing the talking. When they are powered down Dallas is in control. Jolt says that however it works that it is great to have him back. She hopes that when they get back that they’ll get Charlie back as well. MACH-3 says that they all hope Charlie can pull himself together. MACH-3 says that he sees a small town up ahead. Fixer asks where. MACH-3 says that it is six miles away, and that this armor is better than anything Fixer built for hi, Fixer says that he is sure that it is. Abe says that he is getting low on fuel, and that they may as well land and try to figure out where they are and what happened to Citizen V.
Back on our Earth on Symkaria, The
V-Battalion discovers that Citizen V is clean. They say that they
were finally able to isolate the overlapping
electroencephalograms that had corrupted Watkins since he
returned from his coma. She says that whatever force was
controlling his mind that it is completely gone. 
Citizen V says
that all that means that he is back and better than ever. He says
that now maybe he can design a uniform more to his liking. Aubrey
says that he doesn’t share John’s cheer. He says that
John was controlled by Helmut Zemo, and he wonders what Zemo
learned about their organization and what he plans on doing with
that information. Watkins says that when they teleported him out
of there that it severed the link. He says that since then they
have scanned every inch of the planet for the missing
Thunderbolts and Zemo but have come up empty. He asks what
difference it makes what Zemo knows if Zemo is finally dead.
Watkins says that if Zemo had not inhabited his body that he
would still be in a coma instead of being ready for action.
Aubrey says that in that case he asks how Watkins would like to
capture a dead man.
Outside of Pittsburgh, Hawkeye and Cottonmouth are trying to buy groceries. Hawkeye hands over the money and the clerk notices the high tech manacles. Hawkeye says that it is part of some reality television show, but when the clerk looks over at Cottonmouth, Cottonmouth smiles showing his fangs. Outside, Hawkeye is putting the stuff in the van and says that Cottonmouth smiled so they will be identified eventually, but that at least they are still conscious. Mentallo/Headlok says that means they have at least fifteen-yard separation space. Hawkeye says that at least going to the bathroom will be private. He asks what Plant-Man is doing. Plant-Man says that he is trying to find a combination of spores and molds that might scramble the system that prevents them from using their powers. Mentallo/Headlok says that Plant-Man got around the power block by using his power in a completely non-aggressive manner. Cottonmouth says that he had better hurry it up because the only reason that the Feds weren’t coming after them no longer applies. Cottonmouth holds up a newspaper saying that Graviton was stopped and that the Thunderbolts might be dead. Cottonmouth says that it is ironic that Hawkeye turned those losers into heroes, but that they had to die for anyone to know it. Hawkeye keeps it to himself and just says that they were caught on film when they broke into the ATM so they should move out. He says that Justin Hammer has eight facilities between Ohio and Vancouver and they have to check each one. They drive for miles in silence. Hawkeye wonders to himself how much lower he can sink for the sake of the greater good as Dum Dum asked him to do. A Guardsman flies down right in front of the van. Hawkeye starts trying to think of a way to get away without hurting the Guardsman and without their powers. Plant-Man says that he can stop him, but that it might hurt him or it might not hurt him at all. Mentallo/Headlok says that this is quite the dilemma for the former good guy, and asks what it is going to be.
Back with the Thunderbolts, they stand and watch as paper money blows all around them worthless. Dallas says that it seem that most currencies are so devalued that they are more useless than toilet paper. Hallie says that everything about this place is horrible. Dallas says until Ebersol gets the translator working that they have to keep a low profile. She says that as a former cop that it is hard for her to sit by and watch all the looting and fighting. Abe asks what are they going to do. He says that they can’t save a city, a country, or a world. Karla says that Abe is right, and that no matter how disturbing that they must not concern themselves. Dallas asks Sofen how she can just turn it off. She asks if doesn’t hear the cries of starving children or that she chooses not to listen. Karla says that she is focusing on getting off the planet. Jolt says, “Off! The people here need our help!” Fixer stares at her and then just starts laughing. Dallas tells Ebersol to shut up. Abe says that he knows how Hallie is feeling, but that she has to be realistic. He says that they don’t know where they are or if all this is even real. He says that they have to get home, and that they left Mel. Hallie says that she knows that he wants to get home to see Mel, but asks how they can just do nothing.
Suddenly a man is hit in the head with a brick as a mass of people move in to beat on the man. Jolt transforms into her bioelectric form and yells for them to stop. Jolt says that she doesn’t speak Russian, and asks if anyone speaks English. Fixer’s translator finally works. Fixer says that the people think that Jolt is an Avenger. He says that the punching bag was hoarding food, and that they all agreed to share. Fixer tells Jolt to tell everyone to stop beating the man and tell the man to stop hoarding food. The people disperse and Karla says that they probably just saved that man for an entire hour. Abe asks if they were just supposed to let them beat him to death. Fixer says that the planet they are on has just been identified. Fixer says that some of the people were wondering if Jolt was part of the Young Allies. Jolt says that they must be on Counter Earth. Jolt asks them if they don’t see how this all fits. Jolt says that the Thunderbolts were created in a scam to replace the heroes that were transported here, but that now this world is the one that needs heroes. Abe says that he is sorry, but that he was out of that life and that he was glad to see it over. He says that he just wants to see Mel again. Fixer says that he just found a way home. His television shows him that they are about to launch a satellite into space. Fixer says that it is the first rocket launch in two years, and Abe adds that with how screwed up things are that it might be the last. Dallas asks if they are just supposed to fly back to Earth with it. Fixer says that they can do that or just wait six months until the Earth arrives in its own orbit. Abe says that they can make their own choices, but that he is getting on that rocket. Abe walks off. Karla follows first and Dallas and Hallie follow as well. Fixer is standing there by himself, but when he starts to walk his tech pack comes to life and says that he is not going to get on that rocket until he helps him find a new body. Fixer says that something is controlling his tech pack, but the voice says that it is not something but someone. Baron Helmut Zemo’s face appears on Fixer’s screen.
Traitor’s rating: 5 out of 10
I can’t tell you how tired I am of reading about that stinking Counter-Earth. Getting the explanation of who the other Zemo and his team were was like pulling teeth. Especially considering what is happening over in Doom: The Emperor Returns this whole storyline seems moot. The Hawkeye storyline is crawling along, and I have to ask how many times Baron Zemo came die and come back without ever really being back. I’m also less than thrilled with the Atlas situation now that it seems to be becoming a status quo instead of a one-time thing. Zircher does a decent enough job I suppose, but I am just so bored with the context that it makes it hard to enjoy.